For the entirety of my life, Canada and the US have had a close relationship. We have been military allies, trade partners, diplomatic supporters… and we have been each other’s top travel destination. In a brief few months under the current American administration, those things seem to have changed. We hear anecdotes of anger on…
Sometimes one is so caught up with the beauty of this place that one can easily forget it is a country. Yes, the Bahamas is indeed an independent country, although some tourists might consider it just a vacation playhouse for Americans, or an extension of Britain. Both of those can be understood, at least to…
In December of 2019, I officially became a German citizen, reclaiming the rights denied to my family by the Nazis. I received my passport in early 2020, just in time for the world to shut down. But once it reopened and international travel resumed, I found myself in new territory. I now possessed two passports,…
Welp, that happened. My scheduled direct flight on United from Los Angeles to Toronto, a new route on the US carrier set to launch in May 2025, was canceled. With demand for Canadians traveling to the United States plummeting due to current politics, United deemed this newly scheduled daily flight as unlikely to be profitable,…
Editor’s note: what a unique experience to be a tourist in a community like this. And even more, what an incredible job of writing about it through that lens. As you know, we do not shy away from politics and religion here at The Royal Tour, and Sam Spector presents his experience visiting these communities…
Walking past the Gate of Harmonious Interest along Fisgard Street in Victoria, British Columbia, the city’s tiny - but mighty - Chinatown opens before me. Shops, restaurants, lanterns… it might only go a block or so, but the effect is outsized. And indeed, that is the biggest takeaway from a visit here to what is…
Sometimes, my readers and editors accuse me - rightly so - of being a bit too concise in my writing. With few exceptions, I prefer my articles to be “bite-sized,” going no more than 1600 or so words. I figure that if I can’t articulate an idea in a decent manner in that amount of…
Few places on Earth are more stark in their contrasts. East meets West. Europe intersects Asia. Islam and secularism coexist side by side. And for tourists, one of the most incredible and dynamic cities has to be taken in turn with a regime that is, here in 2024, not very democratic in tendency nor pro-American.…
If you ever want to be truly despised in Scotland, call it England. You could be excused for saying the United Kingdom (though most Scots think of themselves as Scottish first and British second) and you’d be even forgiven - or laughed at - for calling it France by mistake. But England? Not a chance.…
Editor’s note: I’ve been to Japan twice, but have not made it down to Hiroshima. It is the single top place on my Japan bucket list for my next trip, and I’m grateful to writer Sam Spector for his brief but awesome guide to a visit. For more of Sam’s adventures, click here to visit…